Saving money for a trip can feel impossible and often keeps travelers from pressing the “book” button. But just a few tweaks on your day can go a long way to making your dream trip possible. Make it your goal to avoid credit cards as they can just stress you out after the trip and instead make changes prior to going so you have enough in your account for everything you want to do. Here are six ways you can save up for your next adventure:
How to save money for your next trip
1. Budget
It sounds cliché but it makes a huge difference! Knowing where your money is going is the only way to ensure you have enough cash. If you have trouble budgeting (hello, don’t we all!) it is time to tap into the unlimited resources that the internet has to offer. Our personal favorite is Dave Ramsey who has a no- nonsense approach to budgeting your life, eliminating debt, and living within your means
2. Make Your Lunch
lunch/dinner/coffee! While you’re begrudgingly making yet another turkey sandwich instead of going to Panera or making a k-cup instead of getting a latte at Starbucks, imagine having street food in Thailand or eating authentic pasta in Rome with all that cash you are saving! Let’s do some math:
- Lunch: $10/ day x 5 days a week x 52 weeks a year = $2600 a year!
- Coffee: $5/ day x 5 days a week x 52 weeks a year = $1300 a year!
You can travel, you just don’t want to make a sandwich.
3. Know Your Why & Make it Public
Keep a countdown in a place you can see every day. We have a large chalk board right in our kitchen that we update everyday with a countdown for our next trip. This daily reminder keeps our mindset in check when we want to spend money on something silly. You could also keep a countdown at your desk at work or on a mirror in your bathroom to keep your eye on the prize.
4. Manage Subscriptions
Monthly costs can take a big toll on your ability to save. We have teamed up with our family members to keep these costs down. We share Netflix with Jackie’s parents, Hulu with my parents, and Spotify premium with my brother. This gives you the ability to have access to shows and music without paying for them in full. There are other monthly costs that can sneak up on you like apps that have a $2.99 monthly charge or that gym membership that you swore you were going to use. Find the excess and cut it
5. Plane Low Key Nights Out
The last thing you want to feel is deprived as you are planning this trip, and sometimes saving and cutting costs all the time can have that feeling. Planning nights out with friends in advance can leave you in control without splurging on a $60 bar tab accidently. Do a game night and bring a six pack and some snacks ($15!), go see a free band, find community events at local parks, or support local schools with seeing their spring play or their basketball team play. Finding activities that you enjoy don’t have to cost a fortune, just get a little creative on what Friday night looks like.
6. Take a Little from Each Paycheck
Sometimes it can feel like you don’t have the money at the end of the month to put away. By creating a separate account and automatically having money put in every month you will see the savings start to add up without you even noticing you didn’t have the money. Start with a number you’re comfortable with like $50 and after a few months increase it by a few bucks. After 6 months you will have a nice nest egg to get your next trip rolling. You may have a little less on your next Target run, but maybe you didn’t need that oversized clock and 4 new towels anyway.
These six tips are just the starting point on how to save money for your next trip
There are plenty of ways you can save on the trip itself (that’s a whole different blog!) but one of the main keys is ensuring you are comfortable with the amount you have saved in advance. Don’t make traveling stressful before you’ve even left!
Cheers to Chasing Our Compass
-Mandy & Jackie
